Most of the 99 operating nuclear power plants in the U.S. were built in the 1970s. They were originally licensed by the NRC to operate for forty years. Having reached the end of their original intended lifespan, most of the aging power reactors have been relicensed for another twenty years. The wisdom of giving these aging reactors another twenty years of operation has been questioned.
The permanent disposal of nuclear waste is a very serious problem. Burial deep underground is probably the best choice. However, the burial site must be chosen carefully. The area must be geologically stable.
For the past few years, Russia has been playing with the threat of nuclear war and escalating international tensions. The seizure of Crimea in the Ukraine brought with it the fear of a war in Eastern Europe between Russia and NATO forces. Putin has openly stated that if Russia were losing a conventional war with NATO, he would consider unleashing tactical nuclear weapons.
I have blogged before about the vitrification plant at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation near Richland, WA. There are hundreds of buried tanks at Hanford containing mixtures of radioactive and toxic gases, liquids and solids. Work started at Hanford in 2002 on a "vitrification" plant years before they were even sure about what exactly was in the tanks.
The Hanford Nuclear Reservation where U.S. nuclear weapons were developed and manufactured is one of the most radioactively polluted places on the Earth. Millions of gallons of nuclear waste were poured into trenches and allowed to soak into the soil. Hundreds of tanks of waste were buried underground and now some are leaking.
One major problem with nuclear power generation is what to do with a nuclear power reactor once it has been permanently shut down at the end of its life. This is referred to as "decommissioning." The nuclear fuel has to be removed and disposed of. The reactor and the building that houses it have to be torn down and disposed of. Any contaminated soil has to be dug up and disposed of.
